Strategy to crack PO interviews of public sector banks

Various public sector banks like Canara bank, Syndicate bank, Bank of Baroda, Dena bank, IPPB, IDBI bank etc. conduct recruitment for the posts of Scale 1 and Probationary Officers (PO). Most of these nationalized banks have tied up with top universities for the PGDBF (Post Graduate Diploma in Banking and Finance) courses. The selected candidates are provided with this one-year diploma course to enhance their banking and managerial skills, before their final joining as Scale 1 officers. Generally, the selection is carried out in three phases: written test, group discussion and interview.

After the written test, an adequate number of candidates are called for group discussion and personal interview. Interview stage plays a crucial role in your final selection as PO or Scale-1 officer. Following are some of the tips and strategies to crack your personal interview:

Personal questions:

The interviewers intend to assess your personality traits as well as clarity of mind. You are likely to be asked questions regarding your family background, strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, goals, hometown and other traits mentioned in your resume. You should able to state your personal values and traits in a positive and confident tone.

Profile-based questions:

The interviewers probe you on your career choices, work experience and educational background. The questions may relate to your previous job profile, responsibilities, reason for leaving the previous jobs, challenges you faced, etc. You are expected to know about the latest trends or changes in the sector where you were working.

Knowledge-based questions:

These questions are asked from the following areas:

Academic knowledge: You are asked questions based on your academic background. Go through the core fundamentals of your academic subjects to answer these questions well.

Banking: You need to be aware of the basic banking terms, concepts, taxation and important financial institutions. Questions related to banking sector are frequently asked in bank PO interviews.

Current affairs: Brush up your knowledge of current happenings and latest developments in the banking and economy sector. You are expected to be aware of the major events that impact the world and its economy.

About the organization: This relates to the bank/organization you aspire to join. The interviewers may ask you about the job role you have applied for. Also, learn about the products and services offered by the organization.

Communication skills:

Maintain a positive and confident tone while answering questions in an interview. A good and effective language should be used to convey your thoughts and ideas on any particular subject. Also, keep your answers brief and precise in case of specific questions. You are required to maintain a polite tone, even if the panel contradicts or disagrees to your answers.

Body language:

Non-verbal communication plays an important role in a personal interview. You should display a good posture, appropriate gestures and proper etiquettes throughout the interview.